The group, which may include other former NBA players, the AJC reports, is said have started the preliminary work to bid for the team and hopes to soon meet with the commissioner’s office.

Hawks owner Bruce Levenson and his Washington partner Ed Peskowitz both agreed to sell their shares of the team, worth a 50.1 percent majority stake, after an email Levenson sent in 2012 theorizing that many whites would not attend their games because of the team’s African-American fans was unveiled. Shortly after news broke of Levenson’s racially charged email, a recording of GM Danny Ferry’s disparaging comments about Luol Deng were published.

Former player turned analyst Chris Webber announced on Twitter his intention to purchase the team as part of The Webber Group, while Hawks great Dominique Wilkins is also said to have expressed interest in bidding for the team.

The Atlanta Hawks controversy took on a new life Thursday, when the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published audio of general manager Danny Ferry’s conference call with other members of the team’s front office. During the June 6 call, Ferry and Hawks management were discussing potential free agent targets, one of whom was Luol Deng.

Now, a little background on one of the latest pro sports scandal (there are a lot these days): Hawks owner Bruce Levenson announced on Sunday that he would sell his interest in the team because of an email he wrote in 2012 that included his theory that the team’s black fans kept white fans away. On Monday, Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the email only gained noticed because the team was investigating comments made by Ferry in regards to Deng:

“He’s still a young guy overall. He is a good guy overall. But he is not perfect. He’s got some African in him. And I don’t say that in a bad way. But he’s like a guy who would have a nice store out front but sell your counterfeit stuff out of the back.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – The proclamation was a perfect prelude. Prior to Faried’s fourth double-double in six games – 21 and 11 against Portland on Tuesday – Greg Anthony said on NBA TV that the Nuggets’ power forward should be an all-star reserve.

Anthony said on the pregame telecast: “I think Faried has had an all-star caliber year. When you play with the passion and fire that he plays with, it wills his teammates to compete just as hard.”

Anthony was on the air with Steve Smith, and both ex-players revealed their all-star rosters (posted below). Though Smitty didn’t have Faried on his team, he did say that: “[The Nuggets] wear you down because of their mental toughness. They come in waves and waves of big guys who can run. Kenneth Faried has been their All-Star this season. He’s kept them afloat with his hustle, his determination and the way he plays the game.”

The Nuggets play the Thunder here tonight. For the season, Faried averages 12.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and has a 19.33 player efficiency rating, which is 30th-best of players who play at least 29 minutes per game.

The all-star reserves will be announced on Thursday Jan. 24 on TNT. Here are the suggestions of the NBA TV analysts.

Derrick Rose and the Bulls could be among the NBA's elite next year, with or without LeBron James. (AP)

There are a lot of uncertainties involving the Nets, Knicks, Heat, Bulls and Clippers – the teams with exorbitant cap space. This is just one guy’s opinion, but I say this: LeBron or no LeBron, the Bulls will be a title contender next season.

With almost $30 million in cap space, it’s likely they could get two marquee names, and even if neither of those names are James and Bosh, the Bulls will be able to contend in the East, thanks to some savvy drafting. Yes, it was the ping-pong balls that got them Derrick Rose, the top pick a couple years ago. But beyond Rose, consider the foresight about forward Joakim Noah (ninth overall in 2007) led to one of the budding bigs in basketball, a nasty low-post player who loves rebounding.

Luol Deng is also on the roster (seventh overall in 2004), and then look at Taj Gibson, drafted 26th overall last season. The forward averaged 9.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in his rookie year (in 27 minutes per game), and because of this unlikely success, he’ll either be a key member of the Bulls next season, or a key part of a sign-and-trade trade that nabs Chicago one of the prominent free agents.

Chicago also has a fellow named James Johnson (16th overall in 2009) who averaged 3.9 points per game and could also be moved to help open up space for two marquee names – right now, the Bulls have $26.2 million of contracts and would need roughly about $3-4 million of that freed to get two max free agents.

Look, all the big free agents are at least considering Chicago because even as is, the Bulls are a playoff team in the East (whereas the Knicks, as is, are the Knicks). Then check out that Miami’s Dwyane Wade could go home to Chicago, not only because of the stellar nucleus, but also because of a custody battle with his ex-wife (his two sons live in the Windy City). He talked to my reporter buddy Michael Wallace about this very topic.

And with all the bigs out there – Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, David Lee or, yes, even Luis Scola, one would think the enticing Bulls could entice one of them to line up next to Noah in the low-post.

A lot could happen. But if the Bulls can nab two free agents, and Luol Deng, if you will, is your “worst” starter, then I think you’re going to be a contender.

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Chris Dempsey arrived at The Denver Post in Dec. 2003 after seven years at the Boulder Daily Camera, where he primarily covered the University of Colorado football and men's basketball teams. A University of Colorado-Boulder alumnus, Dempsey covers the Nuggets and also chips in on college sports.